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National Asylum Developments Database

 

The National Asylum Developments Database presents legislative, institutional and policy developments related to asylum since 2018.

Searches can be narrowed down by:

  • Country
  • Year
  • Type of development: legislative, institutional or policy 
  • Thematic area: access to procedure, access to information, legal assistance and representation, interpretation services, special procedures, procedures at first instance, reception of applicants for international protection, detention, procedures at second instance, country of origin information, statelessness in the asylum context, content of protection, return of former applicants, resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes.

Details on each development and further analysis can be consulted in the Asylum Report series.
 

Types of policies and practices reported in the National Asylum Developments Database

The National Asylum Developments Database can be searched by institutional, legislative and policy changes. There are three types of policy developments:

Policies and practices related to the integrity of national asylum systems aim to swiftly identify unfounded asylum applications and ensure that financial, human and administrative resources are not dissipated on such claims. These measures involve efforts to rapidly establish an applicant’s identity, including age, country of origin, travel route and security concerns if any. These facts help to better assess the credibility of the applicant’s statements and determine whether beneficiaries of international protection are still in need of protection. The prevention of unintentional misuse of the asylum procedure and its integrity are also supported by the provision of information to asylum applicants and beneficiaries of international protection on their respective rights and obligations and related procedural arrangements.

Policies and practices that improve the efficiency of national asylum systems include digitalisation and the use of new technologies in the framework of asylum, prioritising or fast-tracking applications, the re-organisation of the procedure itself or implementing changes in the number of staff employed.

Policy and practice aiming to enhance the quality of national asylum systems contribute to increasing fairness, integrity and efficiency. Quality assurance systems, guidance materials and capacity-building measures typically pay off on the initial investment and efforts. The initiatives include staff training, revising existing guidance materials and monitoring the quality of the decisions delivered.

The database presents validated factual information and does not imply any endorsement from the European Commission or EUAA.

Flag Country Ordina in modo ascendente Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure An amendment clarified that minors cannot be held in detention for the purposes of return. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment from 2018 to the Asylum Act entered into force on 1 April 2020, which enables the State Secretariat for Migration to pronounce a general travel ban for a group of refugees from a certain country of origin (particularly to neighbouring countries of that country of origin), if there is a well-founded doubt that the travel ban to the country of origin is not respected. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the ordinance on delivering travel documents for foreigners clarified when refugees under a travel ban can still receive an exceptional authorisation to travel to a country falling under that travel ban. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The possibility to impose a travel ban is planned to be extended to persons with temporary admission. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A draft amendment would allow persons with temporary admission to change their assigned canton if they follow a long-term vocational training or are employed in another canton EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants An amendment to the ordinance on implementation of return and expulsion of foreigners settles access rights, data security and data retention of the new information system, eRetour. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Federal Administrative Court published its report on the evaluation of the asylum appeals procedure after the reform of the asylum procedure entered into force in 2019. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The military offered temporary support in the establishment and operation of federal reception centres, pending the arrival of newly-recruited, qualified State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) staff. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A number of legislative changes were adopted in the area of asylum and return, including compulsory COVID-19 tests for a person subject to a return, expulsion measure or a Dublin transfer, even against their will. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Amendments to the Swiss Federal Act on Foreigners and Integration were adopted, imposing a general travel ban on persons with temporary admission as of 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Amendments to LASi provide for access to free legal counselling or representation after an asylum applicant has been transferred to a canton if the services were received while accommodated in a federal centre. The legislative amendment is expected to enter into force in 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Institutional Content of protection Content of protection The Federal Council approved financial support for integration measures, including contributions to cantonal programmes which promote employment. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Federal Council submitted a proposal for amendments on the operation of reception centres to ensure the safety and security of asylum applicants and reception staff. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The State Secretariat for Migration presented the results of the first evaluation of the law that reformed the asylum procedure in 2019. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The State Secretariat for Migration assessed the functioning of the asylum system during the COVID-19 pandemic. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A parliamentary initiative was adopted on the obligation to cooperate in the asylum procedure, which includes the possibility of checking an applicant’s mobile phone. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Legislation was amended to allow for detention at the border for up to 3 days without a judicial review and without a written order. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Muslim chaplaincy service is provided on a permanent basis in federal asylum centres. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) decided that the granting of free legal advice should also apply to persons who file an asylum application from detention. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new financing system in the asylum sector entered into force to coordinate optimally the tasks of care, social assistance and integration support for refugees, provisionally admitted persons and persons in need of protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions Resettlement was temporarily suspended due to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine.. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Federal Council modified the assessment for fitness to travel of persons who are returned or expelled. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A legal position was published on public assistants, outlining the requirements to be appointed by the Swedish Migration Agency. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new legal position (RS/089/2021) was published on the examination of protection needs for citizens from Afghanistan, in particular on the situation of women and girls. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The Swedish Migration Agency approved a new legal position (RS/010/2022) related to Dublin transfers by which it continues to suspend transfers too Hungary as long as the situation persists. EUAA Asylum Report 2023